


Lady of Perpetual Victory

by Coldstares



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Chant of Light, Other, Sera has a cameo lol, conversations about faith, ive started this fic like last year and only got around to finishing it now lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 10:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16763050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coldstares/pseuds/Coldstares
Summary: A small snippet of the relationship between Dorian and Inquisitor Bran Trevelyan as told by conversations about faith.





	Lady of Perpetual Victory

**Author's Note:**

> Just to note, Bran is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.

_ Lady of Perpetual Victory, your praises I sing! _

_ Gladly do I accept the gift invaluable _

_ Of your glory! Let me be the vessel _

_ Which bears the Light of your promise _

_ To the world expectant. _

**_-Exaltations 1:1_ **

*

“Do you believe in the Maker?” Bran asks one day as they are riding to Hinterlands. They are looking at Dorian curiously and their eyes look more yellow than green in the sunlight. Dorian, of course can’t help but pay attention to those eyes.

“Ah yes, I do believe, why are you asking?” Dorian returns the curious look and he can see a light blush appear on Bran’s face. 

“It's just… Because… because I've never seen you praying, you know. And I was… I wanted to know, is all.” Bran’s blush deepens as they stutter slightly. 

Dorian hesitates before answering.

“It’s because I rarely do,” he finally admits, not wanting to explain his relationship with faith in the middle of the road. 

Bran ponders on what to say. 

“Well… If you ever want to… Just tell me and… And… We can go pray together if you want.” Dorian nods as a thank you but before he has a chance to say anything else, Sera rides up to them with a devilish smirk. 

“Hey, Quizzy, wanna race? To that tree maybe?” She points to the tree farthest from them and Bran’s entire face lits up. 

“You know me, Sera. I could never say no to horse racing.” And with that, they are gone, before Dorian even has a chance to say anything. 

*

_ Blessed are they who stand before _

_ The corrupt and the wicked and do not falter. _

_ Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just. _

**_-Benedictions 4:10_ **

*

At this time of the day, library is quiet. Bran has dragged an armchair for themself and now they are both sitting in Dorian’s favorite spot, each busy with their own thing- Dorian reading and Bran drawing. 

“You know I wanted to join templars once?” Bran’s question breaks the comfortable silence and surprises Dorian, if he has to admit it to himself. 

“Did you now? I certainly didn’t expect that from you,” he admits. “Or maybe I did.”

He shrugs and Bran lets out that sweet little giggle of theirs that Dorian can’t help but fall in love with.

“Yeah, I wanted to join after Jude, you know, my cousin, was taken to the Circle. She was eight and I was seven and I… I wanted to be with her, since we were very close growing up.”

Dorian knew that Bran was close to Jude but he never expected  _ that _ .

“But you are not a templar,” he says. “If you were, we wouldn’t be here now.”

Bran looks away, biting their lip, and a moment passes before they answer.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

*

_ Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. _

_ From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. _

_ Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. _

_ In my arms lies Eternity. _

**_-Andraste 14:11_ **

*

Bran only breaks down in the solitude of their quarters. On the way from Adamant they tried to keep up a facade for their men and only let the mask fall in Skyhold.

Dorian finds them in tears, curled on their bed. 

“Bran, I thought you-” he announces as he enters but stops as he sees the state Bran is in. “Bran, why are you crying? What happened?”

Bran quickly wipes off their tears and looks up at Dorian.

“It’s no- nothing, Dorian. Wha- What did you need?”

Dorian crosses the room and sits on the bed next to Bran. He gently brushes a loose strand of hair off their forehead.

“No. Is it about what we found out in the Fade? You seemed… upset back there.” 

Bran clearly hesitates, not sure how much they should tell Dorian. They pull away and bite their lip. 

Dorian wants to do something, to stop Bran from hurting themself even a little but he doesn't. This wouldn't be appreciated and he knows it. 

“You know you can tell me,” he says softly instead. Bran nods slowly. 

“I just… I thought I really was the Harold-”

“-Herald,” Dorian interrupts them softly and Bran nods again, this time in thanks.

“Yes, that. I… I thought Andraste chose me. And then it turned out… It turned out she didn’t and I was lying to myself all the time…”

Bran breaks down and starts sobbing. Dorian, in turn, holds them close and comforts them, until they are calm again. Only then he dares to say anything. 

“Bran,” he weighs his words. “You are a hero and… And I'm  _ sure _ if Andraste was here she'd be proud of what you're doing.”

That seems to help. Bran perks up, looking at Dorian with wide eyes. 

“You think?” They ask, their voice breaking slightly with uncertainty. 

“Yes, I think so. After all, you're helping people in her name, aren't you? That's what she would have wanted.”

Bran cuddles into Dorian. Neither of them say anything for a while, until Bran looks up at Dorian with a hit of sadness in their eyes. 

“I'm so… Sorry you had to see me… like this, Dorian. But… Thank you. For what you said.”

Dorian's heart breaks a bit when he hears it. Yet still, he kisses Bran’s forehead. 

“I'm always here if you need me, amatus.”

*

_ Those who oppose thee _ __  
_ Shall know the wrath of heaven. _ __  
_ Field and forest shall burn, _ __  
_ The seas shall rise and devour them, _ __  
_ The wind shall tear their nations _ __  
_ From the face of the earth, _ __  
_ Lightning shall rain down from the sky, _ __  
_ They shall cry out to their false gods, _ __  
_ And find silence. _   
**_-Andraste 7:19_ **

*

Dorian does join Bran for prayer, the night before they set off for their final confrontation with Corypheus. 

Bran is, at first, surprised, but gives Dorian a small and hopeful smile. 

They pray quietly, each praying for something different - at least Dorian thinks they are praying for different things. Maybe at this point it is all the same. 

And then, Bran gently takes Dorian’s hand and starts to sing. Their voice is warm and soft and sweet and Dorian thinks that the best word to describe it is  _ honey like _ . 

But then, everything about Bran is honey like. Bran is like honey. 

Bran sings and Dorian can feel his lips moving too, but he does not hear his voice. Everything is Bran, and everything is hope for victory, for survival. 

“ _ O Maker, hear my cry:  _ __  
_ Guide me through the blackest nights.  _ __  
_ Steel my heart against the temptations of the wicked. _ __  
_ Make me to rest in the warmest places.  _ __  
__  
_ O Creator, see me kneel:  _ __  
_ For I walk only where You would bid me.  _ __  
_ Stand only in places You have blessed. _ __  
_ Sing only the words You place in my throat.  _ __  
__  
_ My Maker, know my heart: _ __  
_ Take from me a life of sorrow. _ __  
_ Lift me from a world of pain. _ __  
_ Judge me worthy of Your endless pride. _ __  
__  
_ My Creator, judge me whole: _ __  
_ Find me well within Your grace. _ __  
_ Touch me with fire that I be cleansed. _ __  
_ Tell me I have sung to Your approval. _ __  
__  
_ O Maker, hear my cry:  _ __  
_ Seat me by Your side in death. _ __  
_ Make me one within Your glory. _ __  
_ And let the world once more see Your favor. _ __  
__  
_ For You are the fire at the heart of the world, _ _  
_ __ And comfort is only Yours to give .”

When Bran’s voice finally quiets Dorian squeezes their hand. Bran looks up at him and there are tears in their eyes. Their lips are moving, as if they wanted to say something but couldn't find their voice again. 

“We should get some sleep,” they finally say, their voice weak. “Will you stay in my quarters tonight? I- I don’t wanna be alone.”

*

_ Though I am flesh, Your Light is ever present, _

_ And those I have called, they remember, _

_ And they shall endure. _

_ I shall sing with them the Chant, and all will know, _

_ We are Yours, and none shall stand before us. _

**_-Trials 15:1_ **

*

They stand, side by side, Corypheus gone, and the green light of the Anchor pulsing. Bran’s warm hand finds its way into Dorian’s.

“We did it,” they say, their voice trembling. “Dorian, we did it.”

Thank the Maker.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @percybirolo


End file.
